READ:
Romans 15:2
2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
EXHORTATION:
No Christian is exempted from the exhortation given in this verse. Every Christian is urged to “please his neighbour”. In the light of the context of this verse, the word “neighbour” denotes a fellow church member or a Christian brother. To “please” another is to conduct oneself in a polite or courteous manner towards another.
Many biblical admonitions, if carefully implemented, will enable us to be “pleasing” towards one another. Some of such admonitions are briefly enumerated below:
- We must greet one another, showing respect and love. 1 Corinthians 16:20 says, “Greet ye one another with an holy kiss” (cf. Romans 16:16; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26; 1 Peter 5:14).
- We must be kind-hearted to all, showing love and compassion. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love” (Romans 12:10; cf. John 13:34).
- We must show respect to all, even to those who are younger and immature, as we are admonished: “in honour preferring one another” (Romans 12:10; cf. Philippians 2:3; 1 Peter 5:5).
- We must be welcoming to others in the church. Romans 15:7 urges us, “Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God” (cf. Romans 14:1-3; Matthew 10:40).
- We must be helpful and caring towards one another, even to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2; cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:14).
- We must be patient towards others. Ephesians 4:2 instructs us, “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (cf. Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13).
- We must “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Hebrews 10:24).
- We must encourage and edify one another. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do” (cf. Romans 14:19; Ephesians 4:16, 29; 1 Thessalonians 4:18).
In a word, it is for the expressed purpose of edification that we ought to “please” one another.
